Master-clock.



M. W. OBERMILLER.

MASTER CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 24, 1909.

955,53 Patentd Apr. 19,1910.

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M. W. OBERMILLER.

MASTER CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1909.

955,538. Patented Apr. 19', 1910.

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M. W. OBERMILLER.

MASTER CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,24,1909.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

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OBEBIILLER, OF NEW YQB-K, N. Y.

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Be it known that I, MAX W. OBERMrLLnR,

- a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, inthecounty and State of New York, United States of America, have inventedcertain new and useful "Improvements in'Master-Clocks; and I do herebydeclare the followin \to be a full, clear, and

exact description the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beingbad tothe accompanying draw- 8 ings, and to the letters .or figures ofreferonce marked thereon, which this specification.

This invention relates to master clocks for controlling a number ofauxiliary clocks form a part of electrically driven therefrom, andhasfor its object to provide for sending direct current through theauxiliary clock circuit and holding the current in said circuit an ap-'preciable length of'time for each period lnovement'of 'the secondary.clock, which period of movement every minute.

The mechanism herein shown and decustomarily takes place scribedcomprises an assemblage of parts.

which has eatly simplified the mechanism ofmaster c ocks, as willhereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the. drawings which. show a full sized, operative,self-winding master clock, and in which like parts aresimilarlydesignatedFigure l is 'a side elevation of a clock and its motor. F ig.2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the minute I wheeland arbor. F g. 4 is a diagram illuss trating the electric circuits.Fig. 5 is an elevation of the stop mechanism, and Fig. 6 is an elevationof the releasing adjustment.

The master clock is designed .to operate with 'directcurrent,'preferably, but not necessarily,-from twoismall storage cells,and is of the open circuit type.- I have found, from practicalexperience, that this method of operation in which the circuit is openfor comparatively long periods of time and closed for comparativelyshort periods of time for the operation of secondary clocks, uses lesscurrent, and that there is less leak.- age of current from the wiringdue to imperfect insulation and dampness, there be- 1ng both lessvoltage and less amperage required for driving the secondary clocks thanin closed circuit systems The motor used fur wlnding the masterSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 24, 1909. Serial No. 514,458.

clock is a sinall direct current, series-wound motor A, whose armatureshaft 7 is extended Patented Apr. 19, .1910.

and carries at its upperend' a worm 8 steadied by a set-screw 9 in aportion, 10, of the clock frame. The worm 8 rot-ates a. worm arborcarries a pinion 13 that gears witlf'a large spring winding wheel 14.The wheel 14 may or may not have secured thereto a plate 15.- This plate15,.or it maybe the wheel 14 itself, carries pins 16, to one of which issecured one end of a spiral spring 17, and the others'of which limit theunwinding. of the spring should the winding mechanism, during repairs orotherwise, be free tounwind to its limit. As the equiva lent of the pins16 and plate 17 I. may use the'customary spring barrel. The other end ofspring 17 is fastened to the arbor 18, on which is also loosely mountedthe sleeve '19 that carries the winding wheel 14, consequently the arbor18 is free to be driven by the spring 17. Rigidly secured to the arbor18 is a gear wheel 20 that meshes with a pinion 21 on an arbor 22, andthis arbor-has secured to it a spring barrel or a cage 23 provided withpins 24 serving the same purpose as the. pins 15. Secured within thebarrel or to one of the pins 24 on the cage plate 23, is a small spiralspring 25, the

-0ther end of which is secured to a: gear wheel 26 loose on the arbor22. The gear wheel 26 is the initial wheel, from which the time train isdriven, and meshes with the .pinion 27 on the minute wheel arbor 28,

said arbor also carrying'the gear wheel 2%) which meshes with a pinion30 on the escapement shaft 31, which also carries an es capement wheel32 cooperating with its anchor 33 mounted on an anchor arbor The anchorarbor carries a counter-balanced fork 35, whose forked end engages a pin36 on a balance wheel 37 that is mounted on a balance wheel arbor 38. Ahair spring 39 has one end mounted in a seat 40 and the other endsecured to the balance wheel arbor 38. A pivoted. arm 50 carries a yoke51 engaging the hair spring 39 to increase or decrease the eifectivelength of said spring, which is done'by moving the arm 50 to the rightor left about the axis' of the balance wheel as a center. The minutewheel arbor 28 is provided with three notches, a, b and. c, and a nose aadjacent notch a, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.The arbor 22 carries a Wheel 52 that gears with a pinion 53 on an arbor54, which also carries a pinion 55 that gears with a wheel 56 onan arbor57 The arbor 57 carries a counterbalanced crank arm 58 which haspivotally connected to it a rod 59 carrying two coil springs 60 and 6l,between the ends OfWhlCh is held one end of a lever 62 that is connectedat its other end to a pivoted insulating head 63, mounted on a pivotedarbor 64, and which head'carries'four spring contacts d, e, f and g,more clearly .shown in Fig. 4. Of these contacts, dand e areelectrically connected together, and f and g are electrically connectedtogether, but the pairs of contacts are insulated from one another.These contacts depend between spring contacts D, E, F, G, of which thecontacts E and F are electrically connected at their base and formsubstantially a sin gle piece, while the contacts D, G, are electricallyconnected by a wire 65. This mech-' anism, driven by the winding spring17, constitutes "the current reversing mechanism, for reversing thecurrent to the secondary clock line.

Referring now to Fig. 4, B is the storage battery, or other source ofdirect current electricity. Current is taken from this battion of theminute wheel arbor for a small the minute wheel arbor 28. The arbor 54is continuously urged to rotate by reason of wheel 20, pinion 21, gearwheel 52 and pinion53, but is restrained from rotation by reason of thepins 71,72, 73, resting at one time or another on the minute wheel arbor28. In the position shown in. Fig. 3, the

pin 73 rests on the minute wheel arbor 28, while the pin 72 has justpassed through its notch 12. As soon as the minute wheel passes througha little over half a revolution, thev arbor 54 is rapidly rotated, so asto cause the pin 71 to rest on the nose'a of the minute wheel arbor,whereupon the further rotafraction of a revolution will permit thespring pin 71 to. be immediately released and pass through its slot a,and permit pin 72 to rest on the minute wheel arbor 28, whereupon, afterabout three-fourths of a revolution more of the minute arbor, pin 72 isreleased, and the pin 73 rests on the minute wheel arbor for a littleover one-half revolution; when the arbor 54 will again be released andturn through the large angle. This mechanism controls'the operation ofthe current reversing switch shown in Fig. 4, which is accomplished asfollows :-When pin 73 passes through its notch cto permit the arbor 54to rotate the spring 71 through half a revolution, the pinion 55 rotateswheel 56 a quarter turn, thereby causing the counterweighted crank arm58 to come into either its upper or lower vertical position. It is heldthere for one second, more or-less, until the pin 71 is released fromnose at and passes through its notch 41. When the crank arm 58 is heldin its upper or lower vertical position, the movable contacts d, e, fand 9 have been shifted tothe left or to the right to come intoengagement with their opposed stationary contacts D, E, F, G,consequently the movable contacts are held in engagement with theirstationary contacts one second, more or less, until pin 71 has beenreleased by its nose a through notch 11, consequently the current frombattery B remains on the line a second, more or less, when the circuitis again broken. After the lapse of one second, more or less, pin 72comes into engagement with the minute wheel arbor, thereby turning thecrank arm 58 through a quarter turn to its horizontal position, eitherto right or to left, where the crank arm remains until pin 72 isreleased by its notch b. The shaft 54, then turns to a sufiicientdistance to allow this pin to pass through notch b. The angle ofmovement is very small between release of, 72 and the engagement of 73,consequently the crank arm58 will remain practically horizontal duringthis movement. In this position of the crank arm the movablecontacts-are in their central neutral position and out of contact withthe stationary contacts D, E, F and G.

Inorder to automatically wind the winding spring 17, I have provided onthe sleeve 19 a crank 74, Fig. 2, having a crank pin 75, and mounted-0nthe arbor 18 is a similar crank 76 having a pin 77 capable ot passingthe pin 75. Between the two cranks, 74 and 76, I mount a cam, 78, looseon the arbor 18, which cam is of increasing pitch from its forward toits rear end. This cam at times is capable of being moved by both pins77 and 75.

shown in Fig. 1. As the winding spring 17 unwinds it rotates wheel 20with its arbor 18. The arbor carries with it the crank pin 76 and pin77, which latter during its rotution picks up the cam 7 8.and moves itunder a spring contact 79, and in so doing forces thiscontact up againsta second contact '80 thereby closing the motor circuit. The motor thenstarts to revolve and winds up spring 17 as already described. Thewinding of the spring causes the rotation of the wheel 14 and its sleeve19, carrying with it the crank 74 and pin 75, until pin 75 overtakes Thecam 78 is sufliciently loose to V normally hang by gravity in theposition the pin 77 and engages over one revolution.

cam 78 and moves it from under the spring contact 79, thereby openingthe motor circuit. The winding of spring 17 takes place about once everyhour, more or less, and the winding operation continues until wheel 14has made a little In order to adjust the time for whichthc current maybeheld on the secondary clock line 68-10, I have mounted one end of thearbors' 57 and 54 in a bracket 81, which is adjustable to and from theminute wheel arbor a very small fraction of an inch, being held inposition by a screw 82. This slight adjustment toward the minute wheelarbor will increase the-time between the release of pins 71 and 72,thereby increasing the time during which the movable-contacts are heldagainst their corresponding stationary contacts, and by moving thebracket 81 away from the mmute wheel arbor 28, the time during which thecircuit to the auxiliary I seconds.

Should the motor not operate at the.

proper-time, due to the discharge of the batteries, and fail to wind upthe winding spring 17, then the clock, spring 25 will continue to drivethe time train for a short period of time until a pin (83 on wheel'29comes into engagement with the inner face of a substantiallyseni1-c1rcular1cup 84: on

arbor 54. The pin 83 travels within the.

cup 'for about a. period of one second, more or less, orduring the timethat the current is held on the auxiliary clock circuit, said cup 84rotating with the arbor 54 first over the pin from the position shown inFig. 5, and then continues into its initial position, consequentlyshould the cup 84 not be rotated by reason of the winding spring 17 notbeing wound up, the'pin- 83 will be stopped within the cup, by reason ofsaid pin striking against its inner wall, thereby causing the mmutewheel to stop and )16- venting the complete unwinding of clock spring35.

The operation ofthe device is as fol-' lows :-The cam 78 being carriedalong by pin 7 G, closes the contacts 79 and 80 by reason of theunwinding of the winding spring Upon the closing of the contact, currentfrom battery B passes by wire 84, (Fig. 4,) contactsSO and 79 and wire85 to the motor A and back to the battery; this windto drive a clocktrain.

ing taking place once every hour, more or less. The winding spring beingwound, gear wheel 20 operates the releasing mechanism 21, 52, 53, 54,71, 72, 73, and at each reiease pins 71, 72 and 73 permit the-rotationof arbor 22 to wind up clock spring 25 The releasing mechanism operatesthecurrent reversing mechanism 55, 56, 57,58, 59, 62, 63, 64, d, c,'fand g to send current impulse once every minute to the auxiliary clockline G8--70, reversing the current through the clock line every otherminute.

It will be seen from the mechanism herein shown and described that thetime train is practically independent of the switch operating mechanism,thereby consuming an almost negligible amount of energ of the clockspring 25 in the operation 0 the cur rent reversing I mechanism. Byreason of this independence between the clock train and the currentreversing mechanism the cdoperation'of the several parts of the currentreversing mechanism need notbe accurately adjusted, and by reason of thefact that the clock spring is wound every minute the same extent that itis unwound, the time train is caused to keep remarkably accurate time.

The motor forms no part of the present invention, the same having beenfor some time past forsale upon the open market.

Iclaim g 1.,In combination with'a time train in-. cluding a clockspring'for driving the same; a reversing switch, mechanism controlled bythe time train for actuatingJt-he -revc'rsing switch, winding mechanismincluding a winding spring for driving the reversing mechanism and meansbetween the reversing mechanism and the time train to wind the clockspring at each current reversal the same amount as it is unwound indriving the clock train between current reversals.

2. In combination with a time train including a clock spring fordrivingthe same; a reversing switch, mechanism controlled by the time train foractuating the reversing switch, winding mechanism including a windingspringfor driving the reversing mechanism, means between the reversingmechanism and time trainto wind the clock spring at each currentreversal and means between the winding mechanism and the reversingmechanism to control the automatic winding of the winding mechanism. 5

3. The combination with a time train including a spring for driving thesame; of a 'reversing switch, mechanism controlled by the time train forcausingtheclosure of the switch, holding it closed a predetermined timeand then opening said switch, winding mechanism including a windingspring for driving the switch actuating mechanism, and means between therevcrs ing mechanism and time train to wind the clock spring. 4

4'. The combination with a time train including a spring for driving thesame; of an electric current reversing -switch, mechanism controlledfrom the time train to operate the switch, winding mechanism including awinding spring for driving the switch actuating vmechanism, means forwinding the time train spring from the switch operating mechanism ateach opera tion of the switch, an electric motor and an electric circuitfor the motor normally open, and means to automatically close saidcircuit at given intervals to automatically wind the winding mechanism.

5. In' an electric master clock, the combination with a source of directelectric current; of a normally open electric circuit, a motor therein,mechanism to close the motor circuit, an auxiliary circuit normallyopen, mechanism to automatically close the auxiliary circuit, hold itclosed for a 'pre determined time, then open the circuit, and

then reverse the currentthrough the auxiliary circuit in the same order.

6. In an electric master clock; a time train including a spring fordriving the same, and a minute wheel arbor having three notches therein,a current reversing switch and mechanism to actuate the switch,comprising an arbor having three pins cooperating with .said minutewheel arbor. and notches, a

spring-urged train to actuate the arbor when released by the minutewheel arbor, an arbor having a crank arm thereon periodically drivenfrom the arbor having the pins thereon, a-rod pivotally connected to thecrank arm and a lever between the switch and rod.

7. In an electric master clock, the combi-. nation with a normally opendirect current circuit, a winding spring capable of being wound'when themotor is actuated, a train driven by said spring, a cam capabl'exofclosing the motor circuit, means actuated by an element of the train tomove the cam to close the circuit, and means operated during the windingof the spring to move the cam to open the circuit.

8. In an electric master clock, the combination with a time trainincluding a spring and a minute wheel arbor having three notches; of areversing switch and mechanism for actuating the same comprising a traincapable of winding said spring and including an arbor having three pinscooperatmg with the minute wheel arbor and lts notches, and means to adust the pin arbor to and from the minute wheel arbor to adjust the timeof release of said pins. 9. In an electric clock system, the comblnationwith a master clock having an operating circuit and a secondary clockhaving an operating circuit in parallel with said circuit; of meanscontrolled by the master clock to close said circuits at difl'erent timeintervals. 1

'10. In an electric clock system, the combination with a master clockhaving an operating circuit and a secondary clock having an operatingcircuit in parallel w1th sa1 d circuit; of means to' close the secondclrcuit at short time intervals and means dependent upon the operationof the aforesaid means to close the first circuit.

11'. In an electric clock system, the combination with a master clockhaving a time train and an' operating circuit, and a secondary clockhaving an operating circuit; of means controlled by the time train toclose the second circuit and means dependcut upon the first named meansto close the first circuit at a difierenttime interval.

12. In an electric clock system, the combination with a master clockhaving an operating circuit, and a secondary clock having an operatingcircuit of means controlled by the master clock to close said circuitsat different time intervals and also hold the circuits closed fordifferent periods of time. I 13. In an electric clock'system', thecombination with a masterclock having an operating circuit supplied withcontinuous current, and a secondary clock having-an operating circuitalso sup lied with continuous current; of means to c ose the secondcircuit at short time intervals and reverse the polarity at. each timeinterval, and mechanism dependent upon the operation of said means toclose the first circuit.

14. In an .electric clock system, the combination with-a master clockhaving a time train and an voperating circuit, and a secondary clockhaving an operating circuit; of a winding train for the time train,means controlled by the time train to close the secend-circuit andsimultaneously wind the clock train and means to close the first circuitand operated from the windin train.

